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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5239, 8 January 1878, Page 2

The quarterly circuit of the Supreme Court (criminal sittings) commenced yesterday, his Honor the Chief Justice presiding. The calendar contains the names of twelve prisoners, and is remarkable forthe number of cases of obtaining money under false pretences, in connection with which his Honor pointed out that it was not necessary words should be used to constitute fraud, but the mere passing of a bad cheque as a good one was sufficient. Thomas Keenan, charged with stabbing Alfred King, was acquitted, but has to take his trial on a second charge. Daniel Burke and Thomas Freeman were each found guilty of larceny, and will be sentenced this morning. A full report of the proceedings appears in another'portion of our columns.

The Canterbury cricketers are expected to arrive early to-day, and the Wellington cricketers are requested to meet them on arrival. A guu will be fired from the St. Leonards when the Ladybird comes in sight, and the players will be driven direct from the wharf to the cricket ground, where no time willbelostin commencing the game. TheWellingtonians will entertain their visitors at luncheon at one o’clock. The price of admission to the ground will he Is. until 4 o’clock, after which half-price only will be charged. The game will be continued as long as daylight lasts.

At a meeting of the Regatta Committee, held last evening at the Pier Hotel, his Worship the Mayor in the chair, it was resolved to request Mr. Hunter, Mr.H.R., to act as he did on the last occasion as commodore, and Mr. T. Buchanan as vice-commodore. His Worship the Mayor was unanimously elected president. A numerous working committee was appointed, and the secretary was instructed to give them notice. The president and Captain Rose consented to the request of the meeting that they should wait upon his Excellency the Governor soliciting his patronage. The following gentlemen were appointed to canvass the several parts of the city for subscriptions ; —Messrs. Hill and Hayes, I ambton ward ; Messrs. J. Harding and L. Blundell, various business houses in Willis and Manners streets ; Captain Rose and Mr. Gandy, the Government Buildings ; Messrs. T. McKenzie, Reeves, and A. Young, Te Aro Ward ; Messrs. Logan and Maginity, Thorndon Ward ; Messrs. Renner, Coffey, Berg, and E. Dixon, Cook Ward. Mr. S. S. Downes was unanimously re-elected treasurer. The following events were determined upon :—lst. Open boat sailing race, open to all comers. 2nd. Eour-oar outrgger race. 3rd. First-class yachts. 4th. Junior four-oar outrigger race. 5 th. Coasters race. 6th. Whaleboat race. 7th. Second-class yacht race. Bth. Ships’ gig race. 9th. Four-oar inrigged gig race. 10th. Junior pair-oar gig race. Ilth. Senior pair-oar gig race. 12th. Scullers’ race. 13th. Maiden fouroar inrigged gig race. 14th. Volunters’ whaleboat race. Greasy pole, duck hunt, and tub race as usual. The working out of the details was left to the working committee, and after a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting adjourned until Wednesday next at the same time and place. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. 0. Crawford, Esq., R.M., William Vercoe was charged with stealing half-a-crown and a shilling from the till of the Clarendon Hotel, Molesworth-street. From the evidence it appeared that the prisoner was seen by a little girl named Mary Heffernan to reach over the counter and put his hand into the till, from which he abstracted the money. The Court sentenced him to three months’ hard labor.

St. George a Hall was very well attended, considering the inclement state of the weather, last night, when, for the twelfth night, the successful pantomime was performed, and never went better. To-night ia announced as the last of the season, and the performance will be for the benefit of Miss Edith Pender, under the patronage of the Canterbury and Wellington cricketers, for which occasion a strong bill has been specially prepared, embracing the Trial Scene from the “Merchant of Venice,” in which Mr. Dillon will play Shylock. This will be followed by the operatic drama of “ Maritana,” Mr. Dilion playing Don Caesar, supported by the full strength of the company. Miss Stoueham and Mr. Cary will contribute some vocal selections. We anticipate a full house.

It is to be hoped the “old identities” of Wellington will not allow the anniversary day to pass over this year without their customary dinner. During the past twelve mouths their ranks have been somewhat thinned, but still amongst the gradually narrowing . circle of those who have been here some thirty or forty years there is still a sufficient number remaining to make a very pleasant reunion. The “ big-gooseberry season ” is evidently at hand in Wellington, We were shown yesterday a specimen weighing an ounce, grown by Mr. Parnell, Ghuzuee-street, and certainly a finer gooseberry we never saw anywhere ; indeed there can be no doubt that with care fruit can be grown here equal in every way to that produced in any of the temperate regions of the southern hemisphere.

The following rather singular advertisement appears in the IVaintrapa Register of the 2nd inst. :—“ Masterton Cemetery.—Any person having friends buried in any of the enclosures in the old cemetery wishing to have them cleaned and kept in decent order, may have it done by applying to the undersigned.— Thomas William Shdte. January 2nd, 1878.” We must apologise to our country subscribers to the Wellington Almanack for the delay in the delivery of their copies. This is owing to the coaches having been so full of passengers and parcels during the last week that room could not be found for our almanacks. They will, however, be forwarded by the first opportunity. An accident occurred ou Saturday at Johnsonville to a settler named Peter Johnson, who was engaged in falling a tree, which in its descent struck him on the leg and crushed the limb severely. He was brought into town as soon as possible after the accident, and taken to the Hospital, where it has been found necessary to resort to amputation, but we are glad to hear that the patient is in a fair way of recovery. The Tasmanian Mail of the 22ud ult. says a lamentable illustration of the debasing power of strong drink was afforded at the City Police Court on Wednesday, when a young man named South (who told the police that his father is a barrister, practising in Hokitika, New Zealand), was brought up charged with wandering abroad with intent to commit suicide. .According to his own statement, he came hero with the Albion on her last trip, and drank freely on board, and again after getting ashore. The result was that by Monday evening he was reduced to a state described by a witness as “mad drank,” jvnd while in this condition he walked to the end of the Franklin wharf, partly stripped himself, and was about to plunge into the river, when Mr. Hallaa (of Hallas’s baud), who had been watching his movements for some time, ran to his rescue, and saved him from what would doubtless have proved his untimely death. On Wednesday the unfortunate young man appeared very contrite, and promised to leave the town at once it the offence was overlooked; but the Police Magistrate did not feel disposed to give him the chance of returning to his cups so easily, and required that he should find two sureties in £lO each for his good behavior for one month; failing to obtain which he was ordered to be detained in custody for that period. We regret to learn that Mr. F. Williams, of the liegi'strar-General’s office, died somewhat suddenly yesterday.

At Mr. T. K. Macdonald’s sale of city,, suburban, and rural properties yesterday there was a large attendance, and good prices were realised.

Notice is given that the half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand will be held in Dunedin at 3 o’clock p.m. on the 30th inst. We hear that the offer to Mr. Levy, the eminent cornet player, to lease the new theatre in Manners-street for the first fortnight aft r its opening, has been accepted. The theatre is expected to be opened some time during next month.

A session of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars of the North Island is convened to meet in Wellington on the 21st instant. The Odd Fellows’ Hall has been engaged for the sittings, which are expected to extend over a week. Mr. Fox is expected to return from his lecturing tour in the Wairarapa in time to attend at the opening of the session.

An accident occurred between 11 and 12 o’clock last night near the Bank of New Zealand, Lambton-quay. As a carriage and pair was being driven along the street, one of the horses shied, being apparently frightened by the flickering of a lamp, and dragging thevehicle into the tramway works, upset it. One of the horses broke from the harness and bolted up the street, but was pursued by the constable on duty (who deserves great creditfor his promptitude in the matter) and caught after a sharp run. The driver of the carriage, who is also we believe the owner of it (Mr. Donaldson), was thrown down and somewhat hurt, but not, we are glad to hear, seriously. On Boxing Day, says the Taranaki Ileraid of Saturday last, a Maori named Whakatau,. about twenty years of age, shot himself' through the head in the vicinity of his whare at Kaipukepuke. It is supposed that the native committed the rash act through grief attire loss of bis little girl, who died about half an hour previous to the suicide. The building of the new hall (says the Pates Mail of the Ist inst.) has had the effect of stimulating the men of Hawera to action in a new line. They are now about to form a dramatic club. Intellectual as well as athletic associations appear to thrive at Hawera. The next move will be the formation of a harmonic society, as there is considerable musical talent in the district.

Captain Bead, of Poverty Bay, who isabout to build a new hotel at the Waipaoa river, called for tenders for the work, and several were sent in from the district and also from Auckland. The 'tender of Messrs. Headley and Deyle was considerably thelowest, and was accepted. The Poverty Bay Herald of the 29th ult. thus comments on the fact ;—“ It seems to us rather strange that* contractors in Auckland can supply labor at 75 per cent, less than our local builders, especially when it is taken into consideration that the Auckland firm will have to pay the passages of the men to Waipaoa. It will be noticed that the highest tender of the Auckland firm is £6 below that of any of thePoverty Bay tenderers.” A somewhat remarkable instance of good fortune has been told to the Cromwell Argus by an informant in whom it has full confidence. By some means a well-known residentlat Clyde in the hotel business came to hear of a legacy being due to, but hitherto unclaimed by, a person named Purcell, and the result, was that it came to light that he was the legatee. As the story goes, the sum of £9OOO has, since 1852, been lying at the Bank of England awaiting Mr. Purcell’s pleasure, so that, with interest accruing during the past twenty-five years, the fortune must have increased to very handsome proportions. Mr. Purcell with his friend of Clyde has started for Home to release his windfall of wealth.

The Tasmanian Mail of the 22nd ult. gives an account of a “ public welcome tea meeting” to the Reverend Dr. Gervoise Smith. Among the speakers was the Rev. J. White, who thus referred to the rise and progress of Methodism in the colonies :—“He did not wish Dr. Smith to judge of Methodism in Tasmania by what he might see to-night, nor by what he might see during his brief stay in this colony, for the influences of Tasmanian Methodism had spread far and wide, and were not to be discovered and recognised at once. It was about 57 years since the first Methodist minister landed in Hobarton, and having obtained from Governor Sorell permission to preach the gospel, he gathered around him a small body of people, and for the first time in Tasmania, it was said, there was worship in connection with the worship of God. In the course of a short time a few soldiers arrived from New South Wales, and they took a small house in Collins-street, and assembled there for worship. The number of worshippers increasing, a larger room was obtained, and ultimately land was secured in Melville-street and a chapel built thereon during these years there had been earnest labors in Hobarton, and Dr. Smith would not be able to see and accurately judge of theevidences of those toils. The result of those efforts were to be seen in connection with the spread of Methodism through Victoria and New South Wales, and even in Some of the islands in Fiji, and wherever Dr. Smith might travel in this southern portion of the world.” Mr. Rowe, M.H.R., informs the Thames Advertiser that the vote of £12,750, which ha wished to obtain for works at the Thames and Coromandel, was lost through the loquacity of Mr. Reynolds, who undertook to speak against time until the adjournment. The motion asproposed by Mr. Rowe was :—“ That the House resolve itself into committee to consider of an address to the Governor to place upon the Supplementary Estimates a sum of £12,750, in addition to the amount already proposed, for the following works :-—Coromandel : Road toTokatea Range, £2000; from Coromandel to Thames, main road, £2000; from Maekaytown to Waitekauri, £3000; fencing roads and tapu native lands, £750; from Tauranga to Mackaytown, £3000; from Maekaytown to Te Aroha, £1000; from Thames to Hastings, £looo. £12,750.” This motion remained on the notice paper at the - last moment, and was one of those which fell a victim at the slaughter of the innocents. This motion was in addition to a sum of £SOOO placed on the estimates by Mr. Ormond for road works between the Thames and Poverty Bay, aud the only addition made by direction of the Hon. the Premier was £3500, being £2500 for Coromandel, and £IOOO for the road from Maekaytown to Waikato, which was of course passed by the House. If an opportunity had occurred of bringing on the vote for £12,000 again, Mr. Rowe believes that it would have passed, notwithstanding the opposition of Mr. Reynolds.

The Home Hews of the 15th November says? —“ Thomas Farrell, a decrepid old man 65 years of age, a . reputed miser, who led a wretched life of enforced poverty and seclusion in a top front room in Braithwaite-street, Dublin, has just died. To his neighbors Farrell was a mystery. His occupation was unknown, and whither he repaired daily no one could tell. It was known that he lived alone in the top garret of the house, and rumor had spread great tales of his hidden wealth. The old man was found ill, and on the following day he died, without a friend by his side, leaving no less a sum than £IB,OOO. Suspicion was aroused by the non-appearance of the deceased, and after some time the wife of the landlord of the house in which he lived and her daughter entered his room. To their astonishment they found him lying on the floor, half starved and half naked. They sent him food, and under their care the old man appeared to rally, but his improvement was only temporary, and they despatched a messenger for a doctor, who only arrived to see him die. Then the police began a search. One of the first pieces of furniture which attracted attention was a table with a drawer, and in this was discovered, in silver, notes, copper, and gold, a sum of £B3 2s. 6,|d. At first it was thought that this was the hidden treasure, the pile to increase which the old man had starved himself and lived a life of misery and want ; but a glance at a small bundle of papers found at the back of the drawer disclosed the fact that he had invested in railway, bank, and mining stock no less a sum than £i7,735. Deceased had two sisters living in Dublin ; but it would seem that no friendship «x----iated between them.”